Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport road test
by Stephen Walker
22nd November, 2013
The A-Class of the past featured a particularly distinctive appearance.
But that was then and this is now. A major attribute of the new generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class is the 'mainstream'
styling which, being rather pleasing, is going to attract significant showroom attention for the brand featuring the
admired three-pointed star.
Test Car particulars
On this occasion, our sample car for the test drive was the Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport. Looking good in its coat of
Jupiter Red paint, the A 250 Sport is the dashing member of the A-Class line-up sitting below the extroverted AMG
version.
Prices*
The base price* for the Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport is a very attractive $50,400*. The test car was fitted with optional
navigation at $1,190*. Our drive car was, therefore, priced at $51,590* as tested.
Let me say it upfront. The competitive price is as stunning as the car itself!
Driving the Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport
As you buckle up in the A250 Sport the front seat belts automatically tightens over your shoulder in a bit of a "how
does that grabya" moment. It is a good feeling and maybe it pre-empts the thought that the enjoyment this car will
provide will also be a "how does that grabya" moment.
Immediately you set off in the A250 Sport you appreciate the power that is lurking under the bonnet. Acceleration is
smooth and swift, you can appreciate the collaboration of AMG in the development of this sportier than normal A-Class.
You will never see anything with new A-Class to remind you of the former A-Class.
The pleasing exhaust note is discreet. Your control over the accelerator will determine its entertainment value but I
was impressed by its low volume 'around town' when the revs were 'lowish'.
Driving the A 250 Sport is quite a pleasure. It is not the sort of car to throw around, because this car is at its
best cruising along the highway - either suburban highways or conventional out of town highways - as I discovered during
316 kilometres around Melbourne and Mornington and all stops between. It is so smooth and quiet it is a car for you to
enjoy the cruising aspects of motoring. Although short bursts of rather prompt acceleration will entertain the
driver.
The AMG tweaked components make the driving dynamics superb. I could never imagine anyone being disappointed with the
A 250 Sport. It's a hot hatch that is hot that is easy to appreciate from a driving enthusiast's perspective. Steering,
braking and the ride and handling were excellent. The nimbleness of compact-sized hot hatches is a real treat.
Performance
The Mercedes-Benz is capable of performing the entertainment of zero to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds. Wow, no complaints
there as the time demonstrates just what I said earlier about "short bursts" of fun. So how does 6.6 seconds grabya?
Living with the Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport
Our test car had an excellent ambience on the inside. The red highlights, including the seatbelts, were quite an
attractive feature. But that is a personal opinion, as I do recognise that some folks may feel such a bright feature may
be a little too much 'in your face'. There's plenty of red stitching for contrast too. And, also, red decorative features
for the air vents.
Comfort was an appreciated aspect and our longest single drive was about 100 kilometres which was a real treat inside
the A 250 Sport. No question about the comfort upfront.
The front seats feel good as well look good. They are trimmed in a man-made material. Mercedes-Benz like to think part
of the seat trim as being man-made leather but this is just another way of saying it is a look-a-like material, in other
words a fake. That said, I still like the presentation.
Sufficient storage space was available for this class of car.
The centre armrest, a lid on the centre console, moves forward if required (it is shown in the forward position in the
accompanying image). An electric parking brake function frees the centre console of the old fashioned intrusive 'hand
brake'.
Specifications
A two-litre four-cylinder petrol-fuelled engine moves the front-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport. Power is rated
at 155kW at 5,500 rpm, whilst maximum torque is 350Nm at 1,200–4,000 rpm.
A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is standard. 'Paddles' are fitted ... should you really need them.
The power steering is speed-sensitive.
Brakes are discs all around.
Eighteen-inch alloy wheels are standard.
Safety
ANCAP's five star crash test rating is based on the EuroNCAP test of a left-hand drive A-Class. The ANCAP score of
35.8 (out of 37) is a very good result.
Standard equipment includes Electronic Stability Programme (ESP); Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Acceleration Skid
Control (ASR) and so much more, just as you expect from Mercedes-Benz.
A new feature for this A-Class is 9 airbags - an excellent idea.
Importantly, a reversing camera is included.
Novelty
It's been around in numerous cars for a few years. The A-Class has it now, too. The parallel parking process is easy
in the A-Class if you engage the 'Active Parking Assist' which will manage the steering input for the driver
during a reverse parking manoeuvre when the selection of a parking space has been determined. Of course, the driver
remains responsible for the control of the vehicle - including the braking, acceleration and ensuring the vehicle's path
remains clear of intrusion.
Fuel and emissions
On the 'combined cycle', fuel consumption for the new A 250 Sport is rated at a credible 6.6 litres/100 kilometres. We
didn't get close to this figure as we only averaged 8.9 litres per 100 kilometres. Our figure probably wasn't too bad as
we managed a good mix of inter-urban motoring with some highway driving although at least half of our 316 kms was urban
motoring.
The fuel tank capacity is 50 litres.
CO2 emissions rating is 152 grammes/kilometre on the 'combined cycle'.
A stop/start system is fitted to reduce fuel consumption when the car is stopped in traffic. The system can be turned
off using a switch on the centre stack.
Dimensions (A 250 Sport)
Length: 4,292 mm
Width: 2,022 mm (including mirrors)
Height: 1,430 mm
Wheelbase: 2,699 mm
Kerb weight: 1,445 kg
Boot capacity: 341 litres with rear seat up.
After Sales
A warranty for 3 years (unlimited kilometres) applies (with conditions, of course).
Conclusion
Don't get too excited about the very reasonable price, nor the high standard of safety equipment, nor the dashing
presentation of the Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport.
Just get involved in the sheer thrill of the enjoyment provided by driving this car.
This is an excellent car for those who enjoy driving. It will put many a driver into their very first
Mercedes-Benz.
NOTE: * Manufacturer's List Price (MLP) excludes dealer delivery
fees and the numerous statutory charges (commonly known as on-road costs). Additionally, please note that all prices,
fees and charges are subject to change without notice, as are the specifications.
E&OE
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